Orange acquires SecureData to increase its international reach and expertise in cybersecurity

Orange announces the acquisition of 100% of SecureData Group, and its consulting subsidiary SensePost.SecureData is the largest independent cybersecurity service provider in the UK, the largest market in Europe.This acquisition is yet another step toward establishing Orange’s position as a leading player in the European cybersecurity market.

Orange has announced today the acquisition of SecureData Group for an undisclosed amount.

The UK-based company, SecureData, is the largest independent cybersecurity service provider in the UK, the first market in Europe. The company has a 25-year track record of providing integrated cyber solutions designed to assess risks, detect threats, protect customer’s IT assets and respond to security incidents. The company’s elite consulting arm, SensePost, enjoys a worldwide reputation for its expertise in cyber-criminality, security research and penetration testing. The company recorded annual revenues of circa 50 million euros in 2018 and has enjoyed consistent growth rates of approx. 20% since 2016.

With over 200 employees in the UK and South Africa and a well-respected management-team, the company is well-positioned on the strategically-key British and Anglophone cybersecurity market. By offering improved access to this crucial market, SecureData constitutes an opportunity to expand Orange’s capabilities, particularly in Europe.

Through additional technical cooperation, SecureData will help reinforce Orange’s strategic position in cyberdefense by bringing a new source of expertise and innovative technology. SecureData also boasts an advanced cyber-SOC (Security Operations Center) in the UK that will reinforce Orange Cyberdefense’s international reach by building upon the existing network of nine cyber-SOCs dedicated to monitoring and responding to security breaches on behalf of its customers.

By working alongside Orange Cyberdefense’s existing operations in France and Belgium, SecureData will ensure its continued development by leveraging access to Orange Business Services’ existing sales force and its customer base of over 3000 multinational companies, and will benefit from the carrier-grade CERT and threat intelligence team. The envisaged organisation is designed to ensure continuity of SecureData’s commercial and operational autonomy.

“We are very proud and happy to announce the acquisition of SecureData, which will mark a major milestone in Orange’s development in Europe’s cybersecurity market. SecureData, just like Orange Cyberdefense, has successfully made the transition toward Managed Security Services, and shares the same passion for Cyber. We will progressively co-build together the operational and commercial synergies, with the patronage and experience of Michel Van Den Berghe, CEO of Orange Cyberdefense. Cybersecurity has become a critical element for both large and small companies as they evolve in an increasing digital-reliant world. We are convinced that the combined expertise of Orange Cyberdefense and SecureData will provide a powerful resource for our customers in ensuring the protection of their valuable data.” said Hugues Foulon, Executive Director of Strategy and Cybersecurity activities at Orange.

Ian Brown, Executive Chairman at SecureData commented “We are both thrilled and excited to be joining the Orange Cyberdefense family. Both organisations share the same vision and aspiration for the cybersecurity market, and have many complementary services and skills. By being part of Orange we will be able to better serve the international needs of many of our existing customers as well as providing enhanced cyber services to Orange customers with the UK”.

Press contacts:

Publications

AboutOrange

Orange is one of the world’s leading telecommunications operators with sales of 41 billion euros in 2018 and 149,000 employees worldwide at 31 March 2019, including 90,000 employees in France. The Group has a total customer base of 264 million customers worldwide at 31 March 2019, including 204 million mobile customers and 20 million fixed broadband customers. The Group is present in 27 countries. Orange is also a leading provider of global IT and telecommunication services to multinational companies, under the brand Orange Business Services. In March 2015, the Group presented its new strategic plan “Essentials2020” which places customer experience at the heart of its strategy with the aim of allowing them to benefit fully from the digital universe and the power of its new generation networks.

Orange is listed on Euronext Paris (symbol ORA) and on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol ORAN).